Spatial and Temporal Trends in PM2.5 Concentrations in Guatemala Between 1998-2021 Restricted; Files Only
Brust, Chiara (Spring 2023)
Published
Abstract
Analyzing air pollution trends in low-resourced countries may lead to discoveries of possible sources of contamination that can be reduced. However, there is insufficient data on ambient air pollution in Guatemala. To address this gap, satellite-derived data was analyzed for seasonal and spatial trends of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations between 1998-2021, along with 2019 emissions sources that contributed to PM2.5 mass. An on-the-ground monitor (e-sampler) in Jalapa, Guatemala also measured ambient PM2.5 concentrations and other meteorological information such as wind speed and direction between 2018-2022. The satellite-derived results revealed that the annual average PM2.5 concentrations for each department ranged between 16-44 µg/m3, which is 3-9x higher than the World Health Organization’s annual mean target concentration of 5 µg/m3. The satellite data consistently indicated a spike in PM2.5 concentrations in April, which was 1.5 times higher than the average for all months and was localized to areas with high biomass burning PM2.5 contributions. These trends are also consistent with the e-sampler data, which also revealed spikes every April that were linked with winds coming from the northeast where there were high relative contributions to PM2.5 from biomass burning. However, a paired t-test indicated that the satellite-derived data were significantly higher than the e-sampler measurements by about 20 µg/m3. Despite these absolute differences, the seasonal trends remain similar. Therefore, the satellite-derived data is useful for detecting patterns, but the absolute measurements must be bias-corrected to determine true exposure levels and more ground-based monitors must be deployed for better monitoring in Guatemala.
Table of Contents
Introduction............... 1
Methods............... 5
E-Sampler............... 5
Satellite-Based PM & Emissions Source Estimates............... 7
Satellite vs E-Sampler............... 9
Results............... 10
E-Sampler............... 10
Satellite-Derived PM & Emissions Source Estimates............... 15
E-Sampler vs Satellite............... 30
Discussion............... 31
Conclusion............... 34
References............... 36
About this Honors Thesis
| School | |
|---|---|
| Department | |
| Degree | |
| Submission | |
| Language |
|
| Research Field | |
| Palavra-chave | |
| Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor |
Primary PDF
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
File download under embargo until 18 May 2025 | 2023-04-19 10:03:15 -0400 | File download under embargo until 18 May 2025 |
Supplemental Files
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|